WWDC: Rolando 2 Hands-On

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The sequel to one of the best iPhone games is looking awesome.

By Levi Buchanan

The original Rolando, released last December, remains one of the best games on the App Store. Since then, ngmoco has religiously fed its fans a stream of updates that add new levels for the game. However, this summer, developer Hand Circus is finally delivering a full-on Rolando sequel that is bursting with new features, such as a hot new visual look and vehicles to help the Rolandos get from A to B. Although, really -- aren't the round-ish Rolandos sort of vehicles in their own right?

At WWDC in San Francisco today, founder Simon Oliver offered a deeper look at the game. This was the first time I was able to play Rolando 2. It's great to report that if you were a monster Rolando fan, you will be able to immediately jam on Rolando 2. The controls are very, very similar, save for a new ability to de-select a Rolando by tapping it with two fingers. Otherwise, there is plenty of tilt action for moving the Rolandos through colorful stages loaded with obstacles and hazards, such as pinball bumpers and underground rivers.

Oliver was particularly keen to show off new vehicles and fruit that affect the way you complete stages. A sand buggy, controlled by tilt, rushed a little Rolando through a stage with lightning speed. A menacing Spiky Death Ball will perfect for rolling over little nasties without any danger to the Rolando driver. Special fruits collected by your Rolandos serve multiple purposes, such as bomb fruit that lets you set off explosions or a chili that inflates the Floater Rolando. A puffed-up Floater Rolando can drift through the air like balloon, allowing you to access higher ledges. There is also a new mechanic called Boomfinger than lets you change up explosions in the environment and blast open doors so you can race toward the exit.

The original Rolando stood out not only for its spectacular gameplay, but also its brilliant day-glo graphics that just about cracked the iPhone screen with extra-special personality. Hand Circus is adding half of a dimension to Rolando 2 so the game now features a sort of 2.5D viewpoint. Though the Rolandos still operate on a linear plane, the camera swivels to show the depth of the stages and give the game a genuine sense of space. None of the style was sacrificed to make this move, which was a real concern I had when ngmoco initially mentioned the 2.5D camera.

Rolando's composer, Mister Scruff, returns for Rolando 2. Oliver was tight-lipped when I asked if he had any plans to release either Rolando soundtrack outside of the confines of the game, much like Secret Exit and Chillingo did with the still-rad Zen Bound. Hopefully, ngmoco will let you at this score, because it belongs in an iPod playlist. I'd certainly enjoy my stretch of the 5 a lot more with a little Rolando musique.

It was a delight to spend a little time with Oliver today. He is absolutely over the moon about Rolando and its success. It's always refreshing to meet developers that are obviously enchanted by what they do.

Rolando 2 is still slated for a summer release. Following the release, ngmoco and Hand Circus have pledged a series of content updates that will lead gamers straight into this holiday's Rolando 3.